New ponds but need help with possible bait selection.

[T-Bone]

I have recently found a conservation site that has several decent sized ponds.  I went out there today and I didn't catch a single thing.  The ponds all have lots of vegetation along the edges that extend about 10-15 ft. out and there is very thick submerged weeds which extend about 20-40 ft out from shore.  Further past that there isn't any vegetation from what I can tell.  I tried most everything that I had with me: crankbait, heddon torpedo, zara spook, buzz bait, several different brands of frogs, t-rig worms (of course), senko, and jigs.

I went to bps afterwards and realized that I was stupid and did not try flukes, which embarrassed me in front of myself :-[.  Also I wished that I had brought my spinnerbaits along with me because those probably would have worked.

I know that the ponds were stocked with bass and perch back in 2002 and I saw several nice size bass while I was out there.  But I do not understand what the problem was.  I was out there for 5 hours! and nothing. >

The ponds are probably fished regularly, but most of the people that I saw out there were fishing for perch not bass, so I know that they aren't over fished for bass.

Any ideas for lure selection?  I'm at a loss, I never get skunked that bad.

Thanks,

T-Bone

[Munkin]

All the ponds I have ever fished like that a senko and Zoom toad worked better than anything else.

Allen

[Big-O]

Light weight Carolina rig a finesse worm or craw worm.

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[Paul Roberts]

Are you in a boat or on shore?

[T-Bone]

Are you in a boat or on shore?

On shore.

[Bass XL]

All the ponds I have ever fished like that a senko and Zoom toad worked better than anything else.

Allen

Light weight Carolina rig a finesse worm or craw worm.

Big O

www.ragetail.com

Both of these comments are great. I would also throw a buzzbait in the mix.

[Daiwa]

I agree with Bass XL. Try everything you got!

BTW, Bass XL, whats the picture in your avatar mean?

[pasadenafishin]

when all else fails i always try a flylined june bug senko.

Tight lines, PF

[Marty]

You tried quite a variety of lures and I don't think lure selection was the problem. Sounds to me like it was just one of those days. Keep at it and something ought to happen.

[andamtoft]

There are several ponds near my house where i like to go fishing. I encountered the same problem you were having. Untill i finally caught the first bass, then i seemed to have them figured out. i used a texas rigged strike king coffee tube with an unpegged bullet weight(as light as possible) pitch the tube infront of the fishes mouth and let it sit there. add little wiggles and it should intise a strike.  if that doeasnt work try slowly swimming the tube infront of the bass.

[BirdNestBen]

hmmm thats a tough day fishing... I know the feeling... a small private lake I fish loaded with weeds/stumps and  it's getting harder and harder to catch fish there....

Summer's coming so the pattern is shallow early- then they will move deep later or very tight to cover....

Show em' something different.... I've had good luck lately on a texas rigged baby brush hog in watermelon....

You also might try a zoom finesse worm on a dropshot rig...

I've had to get my flukes a little deeper lately and a 1/8 oz. weighted hook texas rigged should do the trick... in pearl white....

Always a killer are rat-l-traps.... match the hatch... maybe there are crawdads in there????  what are the fish feeding on????

Try a Gene Larew crawdad if there are crawdads in there....

If they are feeding on minnows, you've got to match your bait to the size of the minnow... get something that closely imitates the baitfish...

If they are feeding on small minnows, a panther martin or a small rapala may just do the trick...........

[roadwarrior]

Fat Ika and Senko fished parallel to the bank, out 10-15 yards.

If there are any bass in those ponds, you will catch a few...

guaranteed!

8-)